Writers To Protest Trump at AWP 2017

Add ‘join the resistance’ to your itinerary as AWP goes to D.C.

In a little over a week, writers, editors, students, teachers and publishers from around the nation will gather in Washington, D.C. for the 2017 AWP (Association of Writers and Writing Programs) Conference and Bookfair. The event regularly attracts crowds of over 12,000, and at this year’s gathering, participants plan to capitalize on the convention’s fortuitous location by organizing protests and rallies against the Trump train wreck.

Earlier this week, Flavorwire reported that the Facebook group, Writers Resist Trump (with almost 900 members) is planning a “field trip to Capitol Hill” on Friday, February 10th, so that writers and other members of the literary world can drop in on their legislators to demand action against the Administration and its racist policies. Any and all are welcome to join.

On the evening of Saturday, February 11th, a “Candlelight Vigil for Free Speech” will be held at Lafayette Park, across from the White House. Numerous publications are co-sponsoring the event, including Community of Literary Magazines & Presses, Lambda Literary, The Rumpus and Tin House. Kazim Ali, Gabrielle Bellot, Melissa Febos and many others are scheduled to speak. RSVPs for the event currently stand at over 500.

If you’re not going to AWP this year, there are plenty of other ways to get involved in literary demonstrations. Write Our Democracy is a budding initiative that was born after poet and VIDA co-founder, Erin Belieu, encouraged writers to organize community events on MLK Day. In less than a month, her original call to action has inspired more than seventy-five global events. The group’s website does an excellent job of keeping tabs on upcoming gatherings worldwide. Check out their ever-growing list, and discover ways to get involved in your neck of the woods. Do you live in East Bumble, devoid of revolution? Organize your own resistance.

We’ll update you with more information on rallies and protests forming at AWP over the coming week.